THE LABOUR CAUSE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5340, 17 October 1928, Page 2

THE LABOUR CAUSE.

THE THAMES ELECTORATE. AIR. MONTGOMERIE AT PAEROA. Mr J. S. Montgomerie, official Labour candidate for the new Thames electorate, addressed the electors at the Gaiety Theatre las.t evening. Keen attention was given .to the speaker, and the meeting was entirely free from interruption. The Mayor, Mr W. Marshall, introduced the spea.ker. A MUDDLING GOVERNMENT. “I have been assured,” said Mr Montgomerie, “that I would be given the most cordial of receptions, and so far 1 have met with nothing but kindness from both supporters and opponents alike. I very much, feel, hqwever, that this seat could he won for Labour. The people seem heartily sic.k of tlie muddling and incompetence qf the Coa.tes Government.” He hoped that history would repeat itself, as when Seddojn had' taken over the reins, and that there would be a re,turn to sane, progressive Government. geddon had been called “a wild irresponsible” who, w'ould ruin the country ; and he would like those present to bear in mind that Mr Harry Holland, in simitar circumstances hajl been called “a firebrand.” He challenged ar.yono tq name any act of legislation worth whil.e within the last 30 years that had not tended to increase .socialism. “The age of competition has passed." This is. an age of trusts and combines. If there is no, competition to protect us we must have something—and that something is socialism.” The speaker instanced the case of. the Wellington milk supply. Under this scheme farmers were receiving twopence mbi’e a gallon for their milk .than was the-, ease tn Auckland ; consumers were paying 1 l-3d a gallon less, and employees were receiving higher, salaries, In Auckland, with all its roundsmen, it took five men to do the work that two did in Wellington,. And this was just the result of successful reorganisation. PLANKS IN THE PLATFORM. The first plank in the Labour Party’s platform, continued Mr Montgomerie, was the establishment of a State bank, which was the only way out of difficulties for both farmers and others. At present the finances of tlie Dominion were controlled by the associated banks, which co,uld, by restricting credit, caus,e a slump, and by increasing it cause ;a boom. It had been well said that the banks had more power than had Parliament — and the Labour Party claimed that they had too much pqwer for any individual or individuals. For the last s,even years the overdraft dates in New Zealand had been 50 per cent, higher than in the Old Country. Ta have a successful lanjd policy it was necessary to have cheap money for farmers. Next in importance to the banks, were the fire insurance companies of whic.li there were operating forty-nine with over .14,000 agencies.’ These were all dO.ipg well, making, up to 170 per cent, per annum o.n their capital. The Labour Party proposed to. use the people’s own company, the State Fire Insurance Office, to reduce rates to a reasonable level. At present, it was stated, £56 Is lOd of every £lOO paid in premiums represented profits and expenses. It was not uroposed to make, fire insurance a. State monopoly, but it was considered that suc,h should be the case with life and accident insurance, so. that full compensation couhl be paid without in.creasing premiums, FINANCE AND LAND. ■.. Mr Montgomerie next touched on Idle finances of the ce.uutry, which, he sa>’d. called for some comment, in 1912 the National Debt was £84,000.000 ; to-day it was. £251,000,000. And tlie interest bill per head had risen during .that, time from £2 5s 10d' to £5 19s. In the last eight years the Reform Government had added £50,000,000 to the National Debt. They could not have stable Government if the. amount kept, piling up as it was doing at present. Land settlement was next referred to by the candidate. He said 1 the Hon. A. D. McLeod was a “political nonentity” as a Ministejr of Landte, and that, instead of making any useful suggestions he talke’d tnojre about “Red Russia,” “Yello.w China,” etc. Mr Coates, o,n the eve of the last, elections, had made a number of. promises —good promises—about the survey of available lands, reading facilities, an,d so on ; but Mr McLeod: had not fulfilled them. He had said he had not done so because he wished to establish the men on the land —but had he done this ? “Government that fails to find a land policy will fail in everything else.” said Mr Montgomerie. “The Labour Party feels t.'ha.t it has a- policy that 'would settle the Question. AID TO MINING. But the Labour Party did pot ’ consider. only the farming industry. There were, also the fishing, flaxgrewing, and mining industries, to'the last mentioned c.f which it was proposed to give every encouragement, especially with regard to prospecting. He had be,ein approached in regard to the establishment of a State battery, several of which had been -provided in Queensland, at first without, any profit, but eventually with excellent results. so that millions qf pounds of British capital werei flowing into the; areas, concerned. His party was alive to the situation, and proposed to give every encouragement to, the mining .industry, satisfied that the money would be wisely spent.

After touching on sue.h mattea's as schools, immigration., and transport, Mr Montgomerie concluded by declaring that the big cqmmercial interests put Mr Coates in pQwer. “It seems to me,” he said', “that the real issue is whether it shall be government by the people for. the people, qr by the Government behind the backs of the people for the benefit of a few hundred big shareholders.” After several questions were ’asked and answered, Mr Montgomerie, on the motion 'of Mr- W. Taylor, was unanfimously accorded a vote of thanks.